More rain could bring nasty rush hour

By
Washington Post editors

The National Weather Service says a flood watch remains in effect and heavy rain could impact the evening rush hour.

D.C. Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said that fire and rescue officials are gearing up for what they expect to be a nasty rush hour tonight, where they estimate that an approaching line of storms could dump an additional two inches of rain on an already sodden area in a matter of a few hours.

Additional swift boat rescue personnel have been called in after emergency responders spent much of the morning's rush hour rescuing around 20 people stranded in cars at a half-dozen locations around the District. Many of them were mired spots in Rock Creek Park that routinely flood, such as the 4400 block of Broad Branch Road in Northwest near Brandywine Street. There were no serious injuries, Piringer said.

-- Annie Gowen

Crews work to repair power lines2:27 p.m.

Reporter Hamil R. Harris has sent in a photo of crews working to repair power lines that came down on Sunnyside Avenue in Beltsville as heavy rain moved through the area Wednesday. The road remains closed.

UMd. campus buildings flooded1:42 p.m.

Water from two streams that crested their banks on the University of Maryland's College Park campus flooded several older buildings and closed Paint Branch Drive for about 1 1/2 hours Wednesday morning, said Dave Cosner, assistant director of operations and maintenance.

Hardest hit was the math building and a couple other older buildings with poor drainage around their foundations, he said. Damage appeared to be limited to soaked carpets and dry wall. Workers were using pumps and high-pressure vacuum systems Wednesday afternoon to dry them out, he said.

Cosner said the university received four inches of rain in a few hours.

The District Department of Public Works will once again be handing out sandbags Wednesday. D.C. residents may pick up sandbags -- up to four per household -- at its New Jersey Avenue and K Street, SE site. (The entrance is on New Jersey at I Street, SE.)

The sandbags, which weigh between 40 and 50 lbs, can be picked up until 8 p.m. Residents will need to load them into their vehicles.

Full coverage of this morning's rescues can be found here.
Stay with Dr. Gridlock for reports on road conditions.
And check in with the Capital Weather Gang to get the forecast.